Heat on Petero Civoniceva to quit NRL players' union

PETERO Civoniceva could be forced to resign from the Rugby League Players' Association because of a possible conflict of interest with his new role as an NRL ambassador.

Civoniceva, the RLPA general president, has been the players' most vocal lobbyist but a meeting with ARL Commission chairman John Grant will ultimately determine the Queensland and Test legend's fate in the role.

The RLPA twist came as it emerged that senior NRL players canvassed opinion from teammates on the prospect of strike action in the lead-up to the finals two months ago as frustration grew over delays in finalising a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The code's biggest names were yesterday reported to be contemplating boycotting February's Indigenous All Stars clash as the first salvo at the ARL Commission in the fight for player rights.

RLPA representatives are due to step up talks with the ARL Commission today, but the player body could suffer a major setback, with Broncos legend Civoniceva having formally joined the NRL in an ambassadorial capacity.

"I've just started a new role with the NRL so I'm working out lines of communication and whether I am able to remain a part of the RLPA," Civoniceva told The Courier-Mail last night.

"It's a discussion I need to have with John Grant, whether I can have a role in both, that's something I need to figure out.

"I'm passionate about player welfare, I'm keen to remain with the RLPA and (union chief executive) David Garnsey feels the same way, but I have to make sure I'm not stepping on anyone's toes.

"I've been a part of the CBA negotiations, but it may be the case where the NRL asks me to step down from the RLPA duties."

The loss of Civoniceva would be a substantial public relations blow for the RLPA, which has been accused of lacking the administrative clout to deliver a CBA that is palatable to NRL players.

Many leading players are privately frustrated with delays over finalising the salary cap.

Kangaroos prop David Shillington hoped the All Stars game was not ditched and found out first hand in 2010 what it meant to fans, especially the indigenous community.

He said RLPA CEO Dave Garnsey had sent regular updates about new collective bargaining agreement, "and pretty much everything he (Garnsey) put forward to the NRL has been rejected".

"I can't see a boycott happening, but it highlights the frustrations the players are having," Shillington said.

A leading player-manager claimed NRL players had been asked whether they were prepared to boycott premiership games in protest.

"Around the finals last season, some senior players asked teammates at their clubs if they would be prepared to strike if negotiations fell over on the salary cap and other issues," the agent said.

"Players were spoken to individually, not collectively as a group.

"It's embarrassing. How can agents sign players to contracts when we don't have a firm idea of what the salary cap is?"

Cowboys chief executive Peter Jourdain said players were entitled to a greater share of revenue but he hoped strike action would be a last resort.

"We need to get the salary cap sorted out as soon as possible," he said. "The missing piece of the puzzle is the salary cap and until we know that missing piece we don't know what we can afford.

"The game got a big increase (via the $1.05 billion TV rights deal) because of the players, so they have to get their fair share of it. We need to work out a fair percentage."